Electric flatiron



Nov. 1'3, 192s. l 1,691,627

w. A. DE HART ELECTRIC FLAEIRON Filed -June 16, 192,3 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nav@ i3, B928. v w. A. DE HART ELECTRIC FLATIRON 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1923 Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

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WILLIAM A. DE HART, oF TEANECKQNEW- JERSEY, AssIGNon lro FRANCES *Roo'kn-y FELLER KING, ,or NEW YORK, N. Y. 1

ELECTRIC FLATIRON.

Application med .rune 1e, 192s; serial No. 645,744.

My invention relates to electrically heated sad irons for laundry and domestic use, and particularly to those of the generalfcharacter shown'and describedin Patent No. 1,249,638, granted December 11, 1917, to

Adele Rockefeller King, and in Patent No;l

1,449,201, granted Marchl 20, 1923, toAlbert H. Smith.

One object of my invention is to provide a ydevice of the aforesaid character thatshall be simple and durable in construction and shall be arranged to exert lrelatively high vpressure between the switch contacts when closed andl allow a wide separation between them when open. Moreover, by .the

arrangement of my invention lthe switch' when closed, is independent of any slight motion or vibration4 of the handle of Vthe iron and when opened it acts quickly to break the circuit and the metal contacts arel separated first while carbon contacts are arranged to take the-arc. Thus the main contacts are preserved from rapid deterioration and a good circuit connection insured.

`Other objects and advantages of my invention are set forth'hereinafter anda preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings to which reference may nowbe had' as follows; i v 1 y Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electrically heated iron arranged and constructed in accordance'with my invention; theshell being broken away and shown in' crosssec tion, to disclose the interior switch imechamsm.

Figurer2 is a planview vwith handlev and shell removed.. Y l,

, Figure 3 is a view-f corresponding to" Figure 1, except that'kthe switch is shown in its open circuit position. l Y

` The sad iron jillustratedV comprises a smoothing iron base 10, a protected electric f heating element 11, a spacing plate 12 of insulating material, electrical terminals 13, an electric circuit interrupter14,`a shell 15, a handle 16, and a terminal plug 17 v The iron ywhen not in use isadapted to frest on'a stand 18 provided with an over# hanging member preferably in the'y form of a.k semi-circular band 20, which is arranged tocooperate with a projection 21 of the` Vhandle 16 in such manner asto hold the `circuit interrupter 14 in a closed circuit position (see Figure 1), when the iron is set on the stand.

*pin andv slot connection.

The'handlecomprises a vframe-22 which v-is pivo'tally yconnected to 'the' shell of the iron at 23 and is provided with the projection' 21 for the purpose above specified. It also Vhas a v projection 24 vwhich lextends through a suitable slot 25 in the shell of the iron and 'serves .to limit .the outward inove-l Vment ofthe handle of the iron "as shown in Figure 3 and to actuate thef circuit inter-1v rupter as shown in Figure 1, dependent upon .the position of the handle.

lThe terminals 13 cooperate with thel contacts ofthe plug 17 which is attached to [connected to thesliding block 31 and its.

opposite end being connected to a"compressible link 34 Vwhich inturn'is pivoted on a fixed support 35; `VVhen thes'witch is closed the Atoggle is loverset with a spring 36, which forms a On f the other hand, when the-switch is open, the spring expandsfandvcollapses the The toggle actuating mechanism lis gov-v i part of the compressible link, under tension. 1 Y

erned by the finger or flever`-24 which Vis attached to the handle yoke 22 at`38` and is 'shaped to extend downwardly andforwardly y to connect tothe toggle link 33 by a loose y The finger 24 is provided with slotted down-turned ears or lugs. 37 which are spaced to vstraddle link 33. The ends of a pin 39extending througha Vlongitudinal slot inthe link 33 loosely' enf.

gage the slots `of ears'or lugs 37. A flat spring 4,0l rigidly attached to'th handle frame 22 at 38 "extends between the shellll and the frame 22'` andengages the upperl surface of the'shellf for raisingftheV handleframe into vthe position shown in Figure 3,'when handpressme is released.

,The toggle link 34 is pivotally connected l l toggle sufficiently to widelyv `separate'the y. switch' contacts.A I r 40 contactmembeis 27r`when the interrupter is vio Y tact members.

to the "toggle link at 41 and is connected by a pin and Aslot connection a`tv42'tothe stationary pivot 35, the spring 36 surround-V A ving thelink 34 andpressing Athe link out-- ward from the stationary pivot.

l/Vhen the iron is in use the handle may vibrate considerably due to variations ini pressure upon it, without in any way tending to open the circuit interrupter or release theV pressure between the cooperating con- This is evident becauseV as already explained, the toggle is overset and there is` no `tendency for it, to open until tripped by the upward movement of the ears 37 on the 'pin'.39, the slots in ears 37 permit-' fting a considerable upV anddownmovement ofthe handle before'actuating the toggle link toopen'the circuit. l

When'the pressure of thehand of the user is entirely releasedfrom the handlethe fiat Spring 40 swings the handle upward'on its' pivot andv the upward movement of the finger 24'trips the toggle and quickly opens the'switch,'the spring '36 serving to accelerate the opening of the contacts when released,l as

terrupter 14.

Attention isparticularly directed to the lfact that Vthe bridging contact member 29 is not only flexible but is also pivotally or loosely mounted on "the block landis electrically Yinsulated therefrom. Infthis way the contact memberis adjustable and seats itself in close engagement with the stationary closed.- Y

The arrangement of the actuatingineclianism is suclinas to provide a rapidV orrquick `break operation of the interrupter as already explained, and this teatureis Aot importance to my invention since it tends to preventan arc being established in breaking the circuit.

If itis desired to havethe heating element of the iron circuit, while` the ironfis not in use, it is only necessary to set the iron ony the standlS with the projection 21 under the loop. 2O ol thestand. Attention isdirectedto .the fact, however, that unless the iron is on the stand it cannot be energized except vwhen the handle is'being pressed downwardly bythe hand of the user. The

n iron is thus rendered unusually safe and the possibility of lires are minimized if not entirely obviated."`

It is of course a well known fact that great numbers of fires have resulted from electric irons being left in circuit, standing ,on a table or board and while various switches for in- 'terrupting the circuit have been" provided, it

haskbeen myl aim to make a commercially operative arrangement capable of continued and satisfactory operation. y

VThe arrangement forv holding the switch closedfwhen the iron is on the stand, forms no part of my invention, it being claimed 'in the Albert'H. Smith Patenty No. 1,449,201,

` granted toF. R. King on March 29, 1923;

A structure' of preferred form and construction has been illustrated and. described for 'the purpose vet' showing a way in which thisinvention maybe used, but the inventive thought upon Vwhich this. lapplicationy is., Y'

based', is broader than this illustrative emi bodiment thereon'and I therefore intend no limitations other tlianthose imposed by the i appended claims'.

What I claim is:

1..The combinationwith a body, and a handle movably attached thereto, of a` Ycir` cuit ii'iterru'pterV includingl a movable contact member, a 'pair of vtoggle links actingupon said movable contact member adapted to foi-ce the circuitinterrupter closed when overset and an actuating arm arranged and adapted to bemoved in response to pressure on the handle for setting the toggle and clos-V ing ythe interrupter when pressed down*- wardly and for releasing the toggle and opening' the interrupter when moved upwardly. Vg `A 2. The combination witha body,'and 'a handle movablyv attached thereto, of av circuit interrupter including la movable'contactmember, a pair of toggle links actingupon said movable contact -member `adapted 5to force the circuit interrupter closed when overset, an actuating arm arranged land adapted to be moved in response to pressure on the handle for setting the toggle and closing the interrupter when pressed downwardly audfor releasing the toggle and opening theinterrupter when movedfupwardly, and resilient means for moving the handle in anupward direction when pressure is removed therefrom. 'y

3.- The combination with a body, andl a handle vmovably attached thereto, of a cir cuit interrupter including a movable Contact member, a pair or toggle links actmgupon said movable Contact membery adapted to y torce the circuit interrupter closed when overset and an actuating arm attached 'to the handle and connected to one'of the toggle links by a lostv motion connection, lor setting the toggle and closing the interrupter.

4. The combination withl a' body, Aand a `handle movably attached thereto, of la circuit interrupter including` a movable contact' member, a pair of toggle links acting to force the circuit interrupterfclosed when upon said movablecontact member adapted overset, an actuating arm arranged and adapted to be moved in response to pressure on the handle for setting thetoggle and the handle upwardly when released.

5.'The.combination with body, vand ka handle movably attached thereto` or a cir-Y cuit interrupter including a movable contact member, a pairv of toggle links acting upon said movable contact member adapted to force the circuit interruptor closed .When overset, an actuating arm arranged and adapted to be moved in response to pressure on the handle for setting the toggle and closing the interruptor when presseddoivir Wardly and for. releasing the toggle and opening the interrupter when moved up-v wardly, oneV of said toggle links being sup Vported by a pinr and slot connection and spring-pressed to make it act as a compressible member. f

'6. The combination With a body, and a handle movably attachedthereto, of a circuit interrupter kincluding a movable Contact member, a pair of toggle links lacting upon said movable conta-ct member adapted to force the circuit interruptor closed vvhen overset, van actuating n arm arranged and adapted to be moved in response to pressure on the handle for settin y the toggle and closing the interruptor W en pressed down-` wardly and lfor vreleasing the toggle and 'opening the interrupter when moved upwardly, one of said toggle links being compressible and arranged in such manner as to press the contacts together When the toggle is over-setand to cause a quick break when the toggle iS tripped.

7. The combination with a body, and a handle moi/'ably attached thereto, of a circuit interruptor including la y movable Contact member, a pair or toggle links vacting upon said movable. contactmember adapted to lorce the circuit interrupter closed when oVerSet, an actuating` arm arranged and adapted to be niovedin response to pressure on the handle for setting the toggle and clos- Ving the interruptor vwhen pressed `down` ivardly and tor releasing the toggle andV opening the interrupter when moved upwardly, and resilient means for moving the handle in an upward direction. when lpressure is removed therefrom, one of said toggle 55,'links being compressible andl arranged in such manner Vas to press the contacts together When the toggleis overset and to cause a quick break When the toggle is tripped,

' 8. The combination "with a body, and a yhandle movablyattached thereto,ot ya circuit interrupter lincluding a movable contact member, a pair o toggle links adapted to force the circuit interrupter closed when overset, an actuating arm' arranged and adapted to be moved in responseto pressure on the handle for setting-the toggle and clos.- ing the interrupter when', pressed down opening the interrupter When movedv Lip- Wardly, one of said toggle links beingycom- .posed of a rigid member pivoted 0n a fixed Uivardly and vfor ,releasing 'the toggle and'.

being suchv that tliecontacts are forcibly.l

prcssed'together and'ivear between them is taken up by the spring-pressed link.

9. rlhe combination with a body supporting a circuit controlling switch having stationary and movable contact members, of a pair of toggle-jointed links, onevof which is i kconnected with said body and the other of which is operatively connected With said movable contact member, and a controlling handle movably attached to said body and having operative connection `With said links."

l0; The combination with a body. supporting stationary and movable contact meme bers of a controlling switch, and a handle movably attached to said body, of a pair'of vtooele-`ointed links connected res ectivel bb Y with said body and f said movablek Contact member, andan actuating arm attached 'toi said handle and Voperatively connected with said links. p v f L ll. The combination With a body support- Ving stationary. and movabler contact members of a circuit controlling switch, andv a handle Y movablyattachcd to said body, 'of a pair of toggle-jointed links connected respectively ywith said body and said movable contact member, an element operatively connecting said handlewvith one' of said links, and a spring' acting upon said handle and resil--v iently supporting 'Y it in normal' raised p0- sition upon said body. n y

lin Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand thislth day of May, 192,3.

W. A. DE HART. 

